Pets4Homes announces the seven most popular hybrid dog types in the UK

The UK is well known to be “a nation of animal lovers,” and a large proportion of households share their homes with a dog – and you can see a massive array of different dog breeds and types out on the streets and in the dog parks of the UK within most local areas.

Everyone has their own particular favourite dog breed and type of course, but mongrels, mixed breeds or mutts tend to outnumber pedigree dogs of all types, and can perhaps be considered to be more popular as a whole than any other designated individual pedigree breed.

Most of us are of course aware of the divide between identifiable pedigree dog breeds and mixed breeds or mongrels – but hybrid dog breeds (more correctly referred to as “dog types” rather than breeds) are also hugely popular in the UK too, in some cases, even more so than many pedigree breeds are themselves.

A hybrid dog type is one that is developed from the deliberate crossing of two unrelated pedigree dog breeds to create a new type of dog that shares traits from both parent breeds. This means that hybrid dog types are technically mutts or mongrels and are not afforded pedigree status or formal Kennel Club recognition, but some of them are so popular in their own rights that many different hybrid dog types are assigned with identifying names of their own – like Labradoodle and Cockapoo.

Hybrid dog types are also sometimes known as “designer dog breeds,” and several of them are very well known in the UK and in great demand, which means that some hybrid dog types change hands for higher sale prices than some pedigree breeds.

Whether you think hybrid dog types are just mongrels by another name or not, there are a lot of positives to many hybrid dog types – and such dogs also get the benefits of hybrid vigour in terms of the mixture that makes up their origins, which can help to make such dogs more robust and healthy than either of their parent breeds.

If you are seeking a new dog to buy for yourself or your family, there are a huge array of different dog breeds to choose from. The list gets even longer when you factor in hybrid dog types too, and there are many widely recognised and well established different hybrid dog types to be found in the UK today.

Knowing which hybrid dog types are the most popular among other puppy buyers, and why they are in great demand can help prospective buyers to choose the right type of dog for them, and rule out ones that may be less suitable, which is very important when researching the best choice of dog for any household.

Here at Pets4Homes, we host thousands of adverts for hybrid dog types for sale every year, and we’ve collated some information on the most popular hybrid dog types in the UK, based on the number of adverts placed over the course of the last year.

In this article we will announce the seven most popular hybrid dog types in the UK, alongside of the average sale prices per dog and some insights on what makes them so very popular. Read on to learn more.

How we determined the most popular hybrid dog types in the UK

Pets4Homes is the largest and busiest pet classifieds website in the UK, hosting more adverts for dogs for sale than any other pet classifieds portal. We collate anonymous information for every advert placed here on the site, including details on the number of adverts placed for each dog breed and type, the average advertised prices, and the popularity and trends in interest in each dog breed or type too.

There are 25 different hybrid dog types that were offered for sale on Pets4Homes over the course of 2018, the latest year for which we have a complete set of data to work with.

Based on the number of adverts placed throughout the year of 2018 for each of these hybrid dog types individually, we’ve drawn up a list of the seven most popular hybrid dog types in the UK during 2018.

Because some dog breeders use just one advert to showcase a full litter rather than placing a different advert for each individual pup, our figures are based on the total number of adverts placed for each hybrid dog type in 2018, rather than the number of individual dogs.

This means that depending on how many litters were advertised in one listing rather than listed as individual pups for each hybrid dog type, the exact number of each type of dog that was advertised for sale here in 2018 will not correlate exactly to the number of adverts placed, and may be rather higher.

However, using the same parameters to total up the number of adverts for each type of hybrid dog placed over the year, our findings produce an approximate but accurate reflection of the popularity rankings of the most commonly owned hybrid dog types in the UK during 2018.

The pricing information we have included for each hybrid dog type is based on the averaged advertised prices showcased for each individual hybrid dog type, after discounting any ads where no price point was provided, or the stated asking price was lower than £100 or higher than £8,000, to avoid anomalies and potential listing errors from artificially affecting the broad norms.

Next, we’ll tell you the seven most popular hybrid dog breeds in the UK in reverse order, with information on the number of ads placed for each, their average prices, and some insights into the reasons for their popularity amongst puppy buyers.

Number 7: The Goldendoodle

The Goldendoodle is a hybrid dog type bred from the crossing of a golden retriever with a miniature or standard poodle. As the golden retriever is a large dog breed in its own right, goldendoodles tend to be fairly large too, especially if a standard poodle was used in the crossing.

• The goldendoodle is the 7th most popular hybrid dog type in the UK, based on the number of adverts for dogs of this type for sale placed on Pets4Homes in 2018.
• During 2018, a total of 681 adverts for goldendoodle dogs and puppies for sale were advertised here on Pets4Homes.
• The average advertised price asked for goldendoodles for sale on Pets4Homes in 2018 was £929 each.

The first thing you might notice from our goldendoodle statistics is that this is a costly dog type to buy for a non-pedigree dog, attracting an average sale price that is actually higher than that of either of their two parent breeds. Whilst the goldendoodle is only 7th placed in the UK hybrid dog popularity rankings, 681 adverts here over the course of one year is still a significant number for a non-pedigree dog type, exceeding the number of ads placed for many full pedigree breeds here too.

So, why were goldendoodles first produced, and what makes them so popular?

The golden retriever and poodle dog breeds respectively are two very different ones, and the coats of these two breeds could not be much more different either. Golden retrievers have thick, long luxurious golden coats that tend to shed hair prolifically all year round, while the poodle has a densely curled wiry coat that sheds very little hair, and what is shed tends to get caught and retained within the rest of the dog’s coat rather than dropped around the home.

Breeding goldendoodles usually involves trying to find a happy medium between these two coat types, ideally producing a coat that is softer and longer than that of the poodle, whilst retaining the poodle’s low-shedding traits. This means that keeping the goldendoodle’s home free of shed hair is much easier than for a golden retriever, and also means that people who may otherwise suffer from dog allergies may be able to own one without problems.

Goldendoodles are generally large dogs that need a fairly large home and plenty of room to move around, which means that they are not suitable for everyone. However, they tend to be a little leaner and less stocky than the golden retriever, so they don’t necessarily need to live in a very large home in order to thrive. If a miniature rather than a standard poodle is used in the crossing, a rather smaller but still large-ish variant is produced.

Both of the goldendoodle’s two parent breeds are very smart dogs in their own right, with a high level of intelligence and the ability to perform a wide range of different working roles. This makes the goldendoodle a versatile pet for people who might want to take part in canine sport, or simply teach their dog tricks or a lot of higher-level commands.

Goldendoodles love having something to engage their brains with and having a task to perform, and so they tend to take well to fun, varied training and are generally very rewarding and enjoyable to train as a result.

This is a dog type that is very energetic, outgoing and full of beans, and they need a significant amount of fun and varied exercise and walks every day to keep them fit and happy, which means that they need an owner who likes walking and spending plenty of time every day outside with the dog.

The goldendoodle’s personality is great at winning people over, and they are gentle, kind dogs despite their large size, which are usually very keen to meet new friends and say hello to strangers. They are loyal to their families and very affectionate, and show a lot of faith in their regular handlers.

If you are looking for a handsome, large and very loving dog that will enjoy an active lifestyle and learning new things, the goldendoodle might be the right choice of dog for you.

Number 6: The Poochon

The Poochon is a hybrid dog type produced from the crossing of a bichon frise and a poodle – usually a miniature poodle but sometimes a toy.

Poochons are small dogs that possess a number of features inherited from their two parent breeds that make them in demand among puppy buyers, and that makes them worthy of consideration by puppy buyers trying to decide between choosing a pedigree poodle or a bichon frise.

• The Poochon is the 6th most popular hybrid dog type in the UK, based on the number of adverts that were placed on Pets4Homes in 2018 for Poochon dogs and litters for sale.
• During 2018, a total of 688 adverts for Poochon dogs and puppies for sale were advertised on Pets4Homes throughout the course of the year.
• The average advertised price for Poochons offered for sale on Pets4Homes during 2018 was £737 per dog.

Unlike many popular hybrid dog types that involve crossing two very different dog breeds to achieve the desired end result, the two parent breeds that make up the Poochon ancestry actually have quite a lot in common.

Both the bichon frise and the smaller poodle variants used to breed Poochons are small, fluffy dogs, and often white – this is the only accepted colour within the bichon frise breed, and whilst poodles can be found in other colours and ergo, so can Poochons, white is most common.

The coat texture of the poodle and the bichon frise have a lot of similarities too, most notably that both of these breeds don’t shed a lot of fur. Their coats are dense and wavy or curly, which means that the hair that does shed is caught up in the rest of the coat and needs to be brushed and combed out, although the bichon coat is a little softer than that of the poodle.

This means that the Poochon is a viable choice of dog for people who may suffer from allergies to dogs; whilst there is no guarantee that even a dog with a coat of this type won’t cause allergies in those sensitive to them, it does reduce the likelihood and severity of this happening.

The small, compact size of Poochons means that they’re a good fit for homes of all sizes, and they don’t need a large home in order to accommodate them. However, they do have quite high energy levels and need lots of exercise to keep them happy and fulfilled, and they’re also smart little dogs too and so need to have their brains engaged and kept busy, otherwise they are apt to find ways to entertain themselves!

This does mean that Poochons tend to be quite enjoyable to train, and they look for direction and instructions from their handlers and tend to actively enjoy learning new things. However, they really dislike being left alone for too long, and so may not be a good choice of pet for owners who go out to work all day and don’t have anyone at home to help with the dog.

Poochons are a rewarding dog type to own in general and thrive with lots of love and attention and an active, varied lifestyle. Their small size makes them versatile, and they’ve very affectionate, but also quite outgoing, fun loving, and energetic too, which suits active owners looking for a small dog to buy.

Number 5: The Cavachon

A Cavachon is a dog bred from the crossing of a Bichon frise and a Cavalier King Charles spaniel. First developed in the USA, this is a small hybrid dog type that quickly gained a high level of popularity in the UK, and that is always in great demand among puppy buyers looking for a small, cute and very affectionate little companion.

• The Cavachon is the 5th most popular hybrid dog type in the UK, based on the number of adverts placed for Cavachon dogs and litters for sale on Pets4Homes in 2018.
• During 2018, a total of 935 adverts for Cavachon dogs and puppies for sale were advertised here on Pets4Homes.
• The average asking price for each Cavachon offered for sale here in 2018 was £574.

The Cavachon is a cute, cuddly and very appealing little dog type that is bred from two very popular breeds in their own right, and which can display quite an array of different coat colours and pattern combinations.

The Bichon frise side of the Cavachon’s heritage often results in many dogs of this type inheriting a coat much like Bichons, which is dense, curled, and low-shedding, with most of the fur that the dog does lose tending to remain caught or trapped in the rest of the coat rather than dropped around the home.

Whilst there is no such thing as a truly hypoallergenic dog, dogs who don’t shed very heavily may be a viable choice of pet for people who tend to be allergic to most dogs, as they are less likely to trigger allergy symptoms in many people.

This is a trait that you will see replicated in some of the other hybrid dog breeds nearer to the top of our full list as well.

As is the case for all hybrid dog types, different Cavachons may look a lot more like one side of their parentage than the other, and may share more personality traits with one of them too. However, most Cavachons tend to be lively, energetic little dogs that need several fun, lively but not necessarily protracted walks each day, and such dogs tend to be quite playful and inquisitive.

Cavachons are also notable for generally getting on very well with children, a trait not shared by all small dog types, and this makes them a viable choice of pet for family homes. They also do well as lapdogs and companions, assuming that they get enough exercise.

Cavachons are around the middle of the pack in terms of their intelligence levels, and this means that they’re usually quite easy to train by an experienced handler, or even a first-time dog owner who does plenty of research. However, one downside of this dog type is that Cavachons are very intolerant of being left on their own for very long, and may suffer from separation anxiety.

This means that they benefit from having an owner who will be home with their dog for the larger part of the day, and they aren’t a good fit for people who work full time and don’t have other family members at home to help with the dog.

With an average sale price of £574 based on data from adverts placed here in 2018, the Cavachon is actually more expensive to buy on average than one of their two parent breeds, the Bichon frise (which attracted an average price of £524 per dog during the same period), and is a good example of a hybrid dog breed that has become so popular and is in such demand as to attract a price higher than one of their pedigree relatives, despite the Cavachon’s own non-pedigree status.

Number 4: The Sprocker

A sprocker is a hybrid dog type that is bred by crossing a springer spaniel with a cocker spaniel, and this is quite an interesting hybrid crossing because it involves two spaniel breeds that already have a lot in common, whilst most hybrid dog types cross dog breeds with quite different core traits.

Dog lovers who have a soft spot for spaniels and gun dogs in general might consider choosing a sprocker in favour of one of their two parent breeds.

• The sprocker is the 4th most popular hybrid dog type in the UK, ranked by the number of adverts for sprocker dogs and litters placed on Pets4Homes in 2018.
• Throughout 2018, a total of 1,409 adverts for sprocker dogs and puppies for sale were offeredon Pets4Homes.
• The average asking price for sprockers advertised on Pets4Homes in 2018 was £482.

As mentioned, sprockers are bred by crossing a springer spaniel with a cocker spaniel, but sometimes American cockers are used within the cross rather than their more common English cousins.

Sprockers were originally bred as working gun dogs, to combine the best traits of the springer and the cocker in one – and like both parent breeds, sprockers make for great domestic pets for the right homes, and can also be found working as gun dogs in some areas too.

Because this hybrid crossing involves two spaniel gun dog breeds, the sprocker’s core personality traits tend to be fairly predictable – they are high energy dogs that like to spend lots of time outdoors running around, playing or working, and they don’t thrive within a sedentary home. They need lots of walking and interaction, and suit households that lead active lifestyles with lots of outdoor activity that the dog can be involved in.

However, assuming that your sprocker gets enough exercise and is properly managed, they are well mannered and well behaved within the home, and happy to be left alone for a few hours at a time as long as they have something to entertain themselves with.

Another trait that sprockers share with their parent breeds is high intelligence, and these are dogs that can learn a lot of skills and commands, and that may be well suited to canine sport with the right training. Sprockers are usually considered to be quite easy to train, as long as training is kept fun and varied.

In terms of the sprocker coat, they do need regular brushing and grooming to avoid knots and matting, and they shed a moderate amount of hair.

The sprocker’s fourth place in the hybrid dog popularity rankings and the number of dogs of this type bred each year indicates that sprockers are in great demand among puppy buyers, and they are quite competitively priced, both compared to their two parent breeds and to many other popular hybrid dog types too.

Whilst both springers and cockers are high energy dogs that can be very fizzy and lively, the cocker possesses this trait to a slightly lesser extent than the springer, and so the crossing of a springer with a cocker helps to produce a well-rounded and adaptable dog type that is still very energetic, but somewhat less challenging to keep occupied.

The appearance of the sprocker too helps this dog type to remain popular, as they re instantly recognisable as a spaniel breed, and depending on the combination of traits they inherit from their two parent breeds, may look very much like one or the other.

Number 3: The Labradoodle

The Labradoodle is one of the longest established and best-known hybrid dog types of them all, and Labradoodles are bred from the crossing of a Labrador retriever with a poodle – usually a standard poodle, but sometimes a miniature.

This means that there can be quite a lot of variance in the size of different Labradoodles, but most of them tend to be on the large side.

• The Labradoodle is the 3rd most popular hybrid dog type in the UK, based on the number of adverts for dogs of the breed placed on Pets4Homes in 2018.
• During 2018, Pets4Homes hosted a total of 2,025 adverts for Labradoodle dogs and puppies for sale in the UK.
• The average advertised price of Labradoodles offered for sale on Pets4Homes in 2018 was £830.

As you can see, buying a Labradoodle isn’t cheap, and in fact the average asking price for dogs of this type is higher than that of many pedigree dog breeds, including that of both of the Labradoodle’s parent breeds.

The fact that puppy buyers are willing to pay a premium for a dog of this type despite their non-pedigree status goes some way towards illustrating how popular and in demand Labradoodles are in the UK – but what makes them so popular?

Labradoodles tend to be fairly large, which means that they may be too big for smaller homes, but because miniature poodles can be used in this crossing to produce a more medium-sized dog, even the Labradoodle’s size options provide a lot of choice for prospective buyers.

Labradoodles were first bred as part of a program designed to produce smart, loyal and hard working dogs that had the brains, common sense and inclination to work as assistance dogs for people with hearing or vision problems, but specifically people who tend to be allergic to dogs and so would be unable to accommodate most other dogs as a result.

The reason why the Labradoodle makes a viable alternative is because of the type of coat that dogs of this type tend to possess. The poodle coat is wiry and dense, and doesn’t shed much fur. Fur that is shed remains trapped in the coat rather than dropped around the home, which means that they’re less likely to trigger allergies than dogs that shed a lot.

Crossing two unrelated breeds like a Labrador and a poodle means that the coat the pups inherit can be quite variable, in terms of which parent breed they resemble more. Most Labradoodle coats fall somewhere in the middle, being rather less dense and wiry than the poodle coat but also, low shedding. Generally, the Labradoodles that are in most demand among puppy buyers are those that have a more poodle-like coat, or one that is somewhere in the middle and that doesn’t shed prolifically.

When this is achieved, Labradoodles open up the possibility of dog ownership to those that otherwise tend to be allergic to dogs, and this has helped to make them hugely popular pets as well as a good choice of dog for training for assistance work.

Labradoodles on the whole are very friendly, affectionate dogs that are inquisitive and sociable, and that love the company of both other dogs and people. They don’t tend to be overly speculative or distrustful of strangers, and have a generally kind, engaged nature that is very appealing.

They make for great family dogs and usually get on very well with children, and are active, lively dogs with high energy levels, which means they need an active lifestyle with plenty of walks and time spent playing and exercising with their families.

They are also really intelligent, traits that they inherit from both sides of their lineage, and are a pleasure to train as long as you can gain and keep the dog’s attention and make training fun and interesting for them.

Another advantage of Labradoodles is that they are happy enough with their own company for a few hours at a time if they are well exercised and left with something to entertain themselves with while you are out.

This is a very versatile hybrid dog type that suits working roles, canine sport and an active life as pets equally well, and this versatility as well as their appealing personalities and low-shedding coats all help to ensure that the Labradoodle is one of the most enduringly popular hybrid dog breeds in the UK, with a high level of demand for puppies of this type for sale.

Number 2: The Cavapoo

The Cavapoo is a small hybrid dog type produced by crossing a Cavalier King Charles spaniel with a poodle – usually a miniature poodle, but sometimes a toy poodle.

This is another hybrid dog type with poodle ancestry, which again, was introduced partially to produce a specific type of coat texture in the Cavapoo itself.

• The Cavapoo is the 2nd most popular hybrid dog type in the UK, based on the number of adverts placed on Pets4Homes in 2018 for Cavapoo dogs and litters for sale.
• In 2018, a total of 2,549 adverts for Cavapoo dogs and puppies were offered for sale here on Pets4Homes.
• The average advertised price for Cavapoos advertised on Pets4Homes in 2018 was £968 per dog.

The 3rd place ranked Labradoodle’s average sale price can fairly be considered high for a hybrid dog type, but the 2nd placed Cavapoo is even more costly to buy, at £968 per dog on average. This is higher than the average sale price of most pedigree dog breeds, once more, including both of the Cavapoo’s two parent breeds.

So, why are Cavapoos in such high demand in the UK, and why are puppy buyers willing to pay so much to purchase one? Let’s take a look.

Crossing a Cavalier King Charles spaniel with a small-sized poodle results in a dog type that is itself very small, which offers a number of advantages. Small and toy dogs of all types are always very popular for people seeking a cuddly, affectionate companion, and they also open up the possibility of dog ownership to people with smaller homes that may be unable to accommodate a larger dog.

Poodles and spaniels are two very different dog types, and the personality traits inherited by any given Cavapoo can be quite variable as a result. However, established Cavapoo lines tend to produce dogs that are around the middle of the pack in terms of all of the core traits that puppy buyers look for – they are average in the intelligence stakes, usually get on well enough with kids, and can be left alone for moderate periods of time with something to do.

In terms of the Cavapoo’s energy levels, they’re once again middle of the road, and as this is a small dog type with short legs, fulfilling their need for exercise isn’t usually a challenge.

They do need to be brushed and groomed every couple of days and shed a moderate amount of fur throughout the year, but they’re not hugely high maintenance in terms of caring for their coats.

Perhaps one of the most important factors that have helped to make Cavapoos so popular and so, able to command such high asking prices is once again the type of coat that dogs of this type tend to possess.

As ever, crossing two dog breeds with two very different coat types can result in a lot of variation between the coat type and texture any given Cavapoo will exhibit, sometimes even across puppies from the same litter. The Cavalier King Charles spaniel coat is medium length, straight and silky, whilst the poodle coat is wiry, dense, and traps loose hair that is shed.

Most Cavapoo breeders work to produce dogs that have a low-shedding coat like the poodle, but that is a little smoother and less wiry, thanks to the other side of their parentage. This again means that the Cavapoo might be a good choice of dog for someone looking for a small companion dog breed that won’t necessarily trigger allergies in people sensitive to them.

The Cavapoo personality is very sweet and affectionate, and they make for great lap dogs to cuddle up on the sofa with, as long as the dog gets enough exercise and time to play. They are loving and loyal and tend to get on well with other dogs and people, although they may find large, boisterous dogs or even children a little daunting due to their small size.

Another point to mention is that as is the case for all hybrid dog types, conformation defects and hereditary health problems that can affect either parent breed are less likely to present in hybrid offspring, thanks to the genetic diversity introduced by outcrossing. Whilst the health of any dog can never be guaranteed and Cavapoos may inherit any one of a number of hereditary health issues possessed by their parents, Cavapoos tend to be robust and healthy dogs that live fairly long lifespans.

Number 1: The Cockapoo

The Cockapoo is yet another spaniel-poodle hybrid, which goes to show how popular and versatile the mixture of different spaniel breeds with different types of poodle can be, and how desirable the resultant traits that this achieves are amongst prospective puppy buyers.

A Cockapoo is produced by crossing a cocker spaniel with a poodle, generally a miniature poodle.

• The Cockapoo is the UK’s most popular and in-demand hybrid dog type of all, taking the 1st place position based on the number of adverts for Cockapoo dogs and litters offered for sale here on Pets4Homes in 2018.
• Over the course of 2018, a total of 9,633 individual adverts were placed on Pets4Homes for Cockapoo dogs and puppies for sale throughout the year.
• The average advertised price for Cockapoos for sale on Pets4Homes in 2018 was £801 per dog.

The first thing you might notice if you’ve been keeping an eye on the jump up in advert numbers between each place in the hybrid dog popularity rankings is that there is a huge jump up between the 2nd placed dog, the Cavapoo (2,549 adverts in 2018) and the 1st placed Cockapoo, with 9,633 adverts.

Not only is the Cockapoo the UK’s most popular hybrid dog type, but the population of dogs of this type in the UK is huge, and in fact there were more Cockapoo dogs and litters advertised here in 2018 than all of the other six most popular hybrid dog types in our list combined.

The average advertised price of Cockapoos for sale in